The 1891 Men's Tennis Season was a worldwide tennis tournament circuit consisting of 127 major, national, professional, regional, provincial, state, county, city and regular tournaments.
The season began on 10 January in Chepauk, India and ended 31 December in Napier, New Zealand.
Season summary The men's 1891 tennis season began on 10 January with the South India Championships played on clay in Chepauk, India the event concluded on 17 January with England's Charles Higginbotham defeating compatriot William Barton in straight sets.
In March the South African Championships are held in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on clay courts and is won by Andrew Richardson who beats fellow countryman Lyttleton Forbes-Winslow in three sets
In May the French Championships are held in Paris, France that is won by British resident H. Briggs who defeats French player P. Baigneres in straight sets.
At the very start of June the first major tournament of the season the Irish Championships in Dublin, Ireland is concluded on the first day of the month, and the singles title is won by the English defending champion Ernest Wool Lewis who defeats the Irish favourite Joshua Pim in straight sets.
At the second major tournament of the year the Northern Championships is held in Manchester, England concluded on 20 June with Irish player Joshua Pim reaching his second consecutive major event wins the singles title defeating England's Wilfred Baddeley in four sets.
At the beginning July at the third and biggest major event of the season the Wimbledon Championships England's Wilfred Baddeley defeats the Irish champion Joshua Pim in four sets in the all comers' final, and goes on to win the title by a walkover when the reigning champion, Willoughby Hamilton, fails to defend his title.100 Years of Wimbledon by Lance Tingay, Guinness Superlatives Ltd. 1977
At the end of August at the fourth and final major tournament of the year the U.S. National Championships held in Newport, Rhode Island Oliver Campbell Wins the singles title in five hard sets against Clarence Hobart.Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 454–483. ISBN 978-0942257700.
At the end of December the season ends with the New Zealand Championships in Napier with Richard Harman defeating his fellow countryman Joy Marshall in three sets.
Season results Key Major events National events Professional events
January EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist25 Jan.South India Championships Chepauk, IndiaClay Charles Higginbotham 6-1, 6-4 William Barton
February EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist10 Feb.Marryatt Cup Bombay, IndiaClay Eustace Nicholson 6-5, 3–6, 6-5 Arthur Barton
March EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist7 Mar.Bombay Gymkhana Club Tournament Bombay II, IndiaGrass Eustace Nicholson (2)def. Arthur Barton 8 Mar.Magnolia Springs Open Magnolia Springs, United StatesConcrete Albert Empie Wright6-2, 6–4, 7-5 J. B. Baumgarten 14 Mar.Calcutta Cricket Club Open Calcutta II, IndiaGrass Henry Fleming6-0, 6–1, 6-2 George Colville 14 Mar.South Australian Championships Adelaide, AustraliaAsphalt John Baker 13-7 games Bert Hambidge 15 Mar.Tropical ChampionshipsSt. Augustine, United StatesAsphalt Oliver Campbell10-8, 6–1, 7-5 Albert Empie Wright 15 Mar."LAWN TENNIS NOTES". Civil & Military Gazette via British Newspaper Archive. 27 March 1891. p. 4. Retrieved 7 May 2025.Bengal ChampionshipsCalcutta, IndiaGrass Henry Fleming (2)6-0, 6–1, 6-2 George Colville 19 Mar.Ceylon ChampionshipsNuwara Eliya, CeylonClay Charles de Fonblanque walkover James Dove 25 Mar.Punjab Championships Lahore, IndiaGrass Henry Fleming (3)def. ? 29 Mar.South African Championships Port Elizabeth, South Africa Clay Andrew Richardson 6-2, 10–8, 6-2 Lyndhurst Winslow 30 Mar.Māori Open TournamentWanganui, New ZealandGrass Harry Parkerdef.? Joy Marshall 31 Mar.Geelong Easter TournamentGeelong, AustraliaAsphalt Ben Green6-3, 0–6, 6–5, 6-5 Herbert Webb
April EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist10 Apr.London Covered Court Championships West Kensington, Great BritainWood (i) Harry S. Barlow3-6, 8–6, 6–8, 6–3, 6-1 Horace Chapman 19 Apr.British Covered Court ChampionshipsBayswater, Great BritainWood (i) Ernest Wool Lewis6-4, 8–6, 6-3 Ernest Meers 22 Apr.Buckley TrophyMelbourne II, AustraliaGrass Wilberforce Eaves3-0 sets Haworth Bartram
May EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist3 May.Dublin University ChampionshipsDublin III, IrelandAsphalt Tom Chaytor 6–2, 6–1, 6-3 Arthur H. G. Ashe 16 May.New South Wales Championships Sydney, AustraliaGrass Wilberforce Eaves (2)3-6, 6–3, 6–4, 8-6 Dudley Webb 17 May.Danish National ChampionshipsCopenhagen, DenmarkClay Folmer HansenDef. ? 17 Mar.French ChampionshipsParis, FranceClay H. Briggs6-3, 6-4 Paul Baigneres 22 May.Southern ChampionshipsWashington D.C. United StatesClay Edward L. Hall6-4, 6–4, 4–6, 3–6, 6-3 Valentine Gill Hall 23 May.Fitzwilliam Club ChampionshipsDublin II, IrelandGrass Grainger Chaytor8-6, 7–5, 6-3 William Hamilton 30 May. Pollokshields OpenPollokshields II, Great BritainGrass Alfred Aitken Thomson1-6, 6–1, 6–2, 8–10, 6-1 Edward Fuller 30 May. West of Scotland ChampionshipsPollokshields, Great BritainGrass Thomas Henrywalkover G. Scott Jackson
June EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist1 Jun.Irish ChampionshipsDublin, IrelandGrass Ernest Wool Lewis (2)6-2, 6–3, 8-6 Joshua Pim 4 Jun.New York TC Spring Open New York City, United StatesClay Edward L. Hall (2)6-1, 6–3, 6-2 J. F. Hobart 6 Jun.Waterloo Open TournamentWaterloo, Great BritainGrass Jacob Gaitskell Brown 6-1, 6–0, 5–7, 8-6 John Redfern Deykin 6 Jun.West of England Championships Bath, Great BritainGrass Harry S. Barlow (2)2-6, 6–3, 6–4, 6-4 James Baldwin 12 Jun.New Jersey State ChampionshipsMontrose, United StatesGrass Clarence Hobartdef. Richard T. Stevens 13 Jun.Scottish ChampionshipsEdinburgh, Great BritainGrass Ernest Browne6-3, 6–3, 6-1 Arthur Carvosso 13 Jun.Tuxedo InvitationTuxedo Park, United StatesGrass Edward L. Hall (3)6-4, 4–6, 6–4, 4–6, 6-0 Albert Empie Wright 13 Jun.Gloucestershire Lawn Tennis TournamentCheltenham, Great BritainGrass Frank Stoddart3-6, 6–2, 9–7, 6-2 Sydney Howard Smith 13 Jun.North of Ireland Championships Belfast, IrelandGrass George Ball-Greenewalkover Manliffe Goodbody 13 Jun.LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENTS AT CHELTENHAM". Gloucester Citizen via British Newspaper. 15 June 1891. p. 3.Cheltenham ChampionshipsCheltenham II, Great BritainGrass Ernest Wool Lewis (3)6-4, 6–3, 6-2 Harry S. Barlow 13 Jun.Cheltenham Challenge CupCheltenham III, Great BritainGrass Harry S. Barlow (3)7-5, 6–3, 6-2 Tancred Cummins 14 Jun.Welsh ChampionshipsCardiff, Great BritainGrass Harry S. Barlow (4)5-7, 6–2, 7–5, 0–6, 6-1 Harold Mahony 20 Jun.Northern ChampionshipsManchester, Great BritainGrass Joshua Pim7-5, 6–3, 6-2 Wilfred Baddeley 20 Jun.Kent Championships Beckenham, Great BritainGrass Ernest Meers 6–0, 6–2, 6-2 Arthur Gore 20 Jun.New England ChampionshipsNew Haven II, United StatesGrass Charles Lee2-6, 10–8, 4–6, 6–1, 6-1 Bob Huntington 27 Jun.Yorkshire Open Championships Headingley, Great BritainGrassJoshua Pim (2) 6–2, 6–0, retd. James Baldwin 27 Jun.Ilkley OpenIlkley, Great BritainGrass David Davy7-5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6-3 Charles Wade 27 Jun.Kent Closed ChampionshipsBlackheath, Great BritainGrass Herbert Baddeley 6–2, 6–3, 6-4 Francis Haskett-Smith 28 Jun.Kent County Open Blackheath II, Great BritainGrass Samuel H. Hughes6-2, 6–2, 9-7 Walter Hadden 28 Jun.Middle States ChampionshipsHoboken, United StatesGrass Charles Sandswalkover Howard A. Taylor 29 Jun.County Dublin ChampionshipsDublin IV, IrelandGrass Herbert McKay6-2, 2–6, 6–2, 7–9, 6-4 Frank Stoker 29 Jun.Wissahickon OpenChestnut Hill, United StatesGrass Marion Wright4-6, 6–3, 6-3 Joseph Sill Clark Sr.
July Included. EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist4 Jul.Pacific Coast ChampionshipsSan Rafael, United StatesAsphalt William H. Taylor6-2, 6–1, 5–7, 6-3 Charles Hubbard 4 Jun.Wimbledon ChampionshipsWimbledon, Great BritainGrass Wilfred Baddeleywalkover Willoughby Hamilton 5 Jul.Anglo Dutch OpenRotterdam, NetherlandsClay A. C. McLachlan 6-3, 5–7, 6-2 N.A.M. van Aken 10 Jul.King's County & Ormonde TournamentParsonstown, IrelandGrass Herbert Craig6-2, 6–2, 6-2 John Head 10 Jul.Wentworth Open New Castle, United StatesGrass Fred Hovey 4–6, 6–4, 6–0, 6-2 Hugh Tallant 12 Jul.Pacific Northwest Championships Tacoma, United StatesClay Arthur Aryault4-6, 6–3, 6–4, 6-3 John le. b Johnson 12 Jul.Officially Adopted Lawn Tennis Guide, The Wright & Ditson (1895). "Challenge Cup Tournaments - Aburndale Challenge Cup - p.69". Google Books. Retrieved 5 May 2025.Auburndale Challenge CupAburndale, United StatesGrass Bob Wrenndef. Fred Hovey 12 Jul.Westchester InvitationHarrison, United StatesGrass Clarence Hobart (2)9-7, 6–4, 4–6, 6-4 Bob Huntington 15 Jul.Dumfries OpenDumfries, Great BritainGrass Thomas Stott 6-0, 6–2, 6-2 Jim Stott 17 Jul.New York State ChampionshipsSaratoga, United States Fred Hovey (3) 7-5, 4–6, 6–0, 3–6, 6-3 Edward L. Hall 18 Jul.London ChampionshipsWest Kensington II, Great BritainGrass Harry S. Barlow (5)6-4, 2–6, 6–0, 7-5 Joshua Pim 18 Jul.Canadian Championships Niagra-on-the-Lake, CanadaGrass Fred Mansfield 6-1, 6–1, 6-1 Edward Tanner 18 Jul.Nottinghamshire LTA Tournament Nottingham, Great BritainGrass Frank Stoker6-3, 3–6, 6–3, 6-3 Tom Chaytor 18 Jul.Western Pennsylvania Championships Pittsburgh, United StatesClay Charles Buchdef. Samuel Moorhead 18 Jul.Hull OpenHull, Great BritainGrass Henry Winter walkover Edward Samson 19 Jul.Montclair Open Montclair, United StatesGrass Bill Larned4-6, 6–1, 3–6, 8–6, 6-1 Stephen Millett 19 Jul.Seabright InvitationalRumson, United StatesGrass Richard Stevens 2-6, 1–6, 6–0, 6–3, 6-2 A.W. Post 20 Jul.Western ChampionshipsChicago, United StatesGrass Samuel T. Chase3-6, 6–2, 6–3, 6-2 B.F. Cummins 21 Jul.Natal ChampionshipsPietermaritzburg, South AfricaClay Herbert Millar 6–3, 6–4, 6-4 William Grant 22 Jul.Burton-on-Trent Open Burton-on-Trent, Great BritainGrass James Baldwin6-4, 2–6, 6–3, 4–6, 9-7 Tom Chaytor 23 Jul.Leamington OpenLeamington II, Great BritainGrass John Redfern Deykin6-2, 6-3 G. F. Goodman 23 Jul.Warwickshire ChampionshipsLeamington, Great BritainGrass Joshua Pim (3)8-10, 6–2, 6–3, 6-2 Harold Mahony 24 Jul.Clones Open Challenge CupClones, IrelandGrass Arthur A.G. Ashe6-2, 6–3, 2–6, 2–6, 6-4 E.P. Rowe 25 Jul.Middlesex Championships Chiswick Park, Great BritainGrass Ernest Meers (2)walkover Ernest Wool Lewis 25 Jul.Edgbaston OpenEdgbaston II, Great BritainGrass R. A. Bennett 6-2, 6-4 Henry Guy Nadin 25 Jul.Leicester OpenLeicester, Great BritainGrass Harold Mahony7-5, 6–2, 2–6, 4–6, 6-4 Joshua Pim 25 Jul.Midland Counties ChampionshipsEdgbaston, Great BritainGrass James Baldwin (2)6-3, 7–9, 3–6, 6–2, 6-1 Harry Barlow 25 Jul.Queen's Challenge CupWest Kensington III, Great BritainGrass Joshua Pim (4)2-6, 6–1, 6–2, 6-3 Harold Mahony 26 Jul.Southampton InvitationSouthampton, United StatesGrass Valentine Gill Hallwalkover Howard A. Taylor 28 Jul.Market Harborough TournamentMarket Harborough, Great BritainGrass Charles Sidney Viccarswalkover Frank Noon 31 Jul.Longwood BowlBoston, United StatesGrass Edward L. Hall (4)6-1, 8–6, 6-3 Philip Sears
August